The present invention relates to a multipurpose station for mounting and removing conventional and special tires.
Conventional tire changing machines which can mount and remove both conventional and so-called special tires are currently in use.
The expression xe2x80x9cspecial tiresxe2x80x9d designates innovative tires which one of the leading manufacturers is currently bringing to market and have the feature of not deflating completely in case of puncture, accordingly allowing to reach the nearest servicing and repair center without substantial difficulties.
These tires and their wheel rims provide a wheel which is absolutely safe even, as mentioned, in precarious conditions and essentially consist of a wheel rim having different outer and inner edge diameters, the latter being greater than the former; accordingly, the tires have the same feature and can therefore be fitted or removed only in one direction.
A ring made of elastomeric material of preset thickness is further fitted between the wheel rim and the tire and constitutes the element which, in case of tire deflation, prevents its complete collapse, with severe danger for vehicle users.
As a consequence of this variety of production by tire manufacturers, tire specialists are forced to purchase two different types of tire changing machine, one for each type of tire, or must improvise with unorthodox means in order to be able to use conventional machines designed for conventional tires, albeit in very precarious conditions and with loss of handiness and speed of use, by applying to these machines adapters which allow to work on special tires as well.
The prior art is substantially hindered not only by the above-mentioned problem but also by the fact that there is a tendency to constantly reduce the space required for work, with the consequent need to combine, as much as possible, the functions of a plurality of machines which are currently part of the standard equipment of tire specialists into a smaller and more practical number of devices.
The aim of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art by providing a multipurpose station for mounting and removing conventional and special tires which can, with a single machine, operate on both kinds of tires, thus eliminating the need to purchase two separate machines and significantly reducing the overall costs and space occupation.
This aim, this object and others are achieved by a multipurpose station for mounting and removing conventional and special tires, characterized in that it is constituted by a turret-type frame from the top vertex of which a horizontal guiding cross-member cantilevers out, a carriage for supporting first and second means for mounting and removing tires from their respective wheel rims being able to move back and forth on the cross-member, under the actuation of a corresponding actuator, the frame having, at a substantially median vertical elevation, conventional elements for rotatably supporting and clamping the wheels and having, in a downward region, pusher means which co-operate with said first and second mounting and removing means and lifting means for lifting the wheels towardss the conventional supporting and clamping means and for seating the mounted tires.